The mail brought with it a couple of treats this morning. First was the new issue of Aesthetica magazine of whom we are big fans - a genuine, enthusiastic and successful regional arts magazine - who'd have thought it? and also another mention of us in Horace Bent's column in the Bookseller. This time a note from Gary Pulsifer, C.E.O. of Arcadia press and once of P.O.P.:
'So pleased about Peter Owen's luck in getting Ken Russell on to 'Celebrity Big Brother'. But many of Peter's fans in the trade, myself included, would far rather see the publisher himself on the show. I'm sure the old dog could still teach us all a few tricks'
A few things: we're glad to hear that Gary's a fan of Peter, he does some good books at Arcadia and the image of Peter on CBB is certainly an enticing one. I'm not sure, however, that he'd be able to do without his Radio 2, dictaphone and sales updates.
Also - I wouldn't describe Ken being on CBB as 'luck'. For a start it meant that we had to watch the ridiculous show (He did well, we thought) and although we now won't have a recognition problem, no 'who's Ken Russell?'s* for us, there is also the worry that at least in the short term fifty years of great, idiosyncratic film making will be put in the shade. Perhaps not, we shall see . . .
* Some sample 'Who's': 'Who's Mervyn Peake?', 'Who's Hermann Hesse?', 'I think I've heard of Paul Bowles', 'Who's David Mitchell' (this last from within P.O.P.) and my favourite 'Just ringing to confirm that Mervyn Peake himself is coming to do the signing?'
1 comment:
I dearly wish Mervyn Peake was still alive today to attend book signings. I would be first in the queue.
Post a Comment